2 charged after collared grizzly bear shot and killed in Alberta

N.W.T. woman pits bear against stalking wolf to save her own life

Wild boar were imported into Saskatchewan in the late 1970s as domestic livestock. Some escaped from farms and created reproducing populations in the province.

They have now been reported in over 60 rural municipalities in southern Saskatchewan, damaging golf courses and crops, harassing livestock and threatening people.

READ MORE: Saskatchewan beaver derby causes controversy

There is also the potential for diseases to be transferred to domestic hogs.

“SARM is pleased with these changes as escaped wild boar pose a danger to people, personal property, other wildlife and to livestock,” said Ray Orb, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM).

“We need to make sure their population is kept under control and are hopeful these regulatory changes will achieve that.”

Officials say hunters should still ask for permission to hunt on private property and to not hunt along roads or road allowances.

Wild boar were imported into Saskatchewan in the late 1970s as domestic livestock. Some escaped from farms and created reproducing populations in the province.

They have now been reported in over 60 rural municipalities in southern Saskatchewan, damaging golf courses and crops, harassing livestock and threatening people.

READ MORE: Saskatchewan beaver derby causes controversy

There is also the potential for diseases to be transferred to domestic hogs.

“SARM is pleased with these changes as escaped wild boar pose a danger to people, personal property, other wildlife and to livestock,” said Ray Orb, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM).

“We need to make sure their population is kept under control and are hopeful these regulatory changes will achieve that.”

Officials say hunters should still ask for permission to hunt on private property and to not hunt along roads or road allowances.

]]>

Canada’s limitations on gay blood donations ‘ridiculous’: HIV researchershttp://www.jeanjacke.info/canadas-limitations-on-gay-blood-donations-ridiculous-hiv-researchers/
Thu, 24 Jan 2019 12:55:07 +0000http://www.jeanjacke.info/canadas-limitations-on-gay-blood-donations-ridiculous-hiv-researchers/Canada’s current limitations on blood donations from men who have sex with men don’t match the science, according to some HIV researchers.

Currently, gay men can donate blood if they have not had sex with a man for at least five years. On August 15, that waiting period will be reduced to one year.

Related

Blood donation ban for gay men dropped to 1 year from 5

U.S. ends lifetime ban on blood donations from gay men

That’s still much longer than warranted, said Dr. Paul MacPherson, an HIV researcher with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute’s chronic disease program and associate professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa.

READ MORE: Blood donation ban for gay men dropped to 1 year from 5

Although gay men are at higher risk of HIV infection — they represent slightly less than half of HIV cases in Canada, according to estimates by the Public Health Agency of Canada — he believes that the risk of HIV getting into the blood system if that timeline was reduced is very low.

That’s because of how Canadian Blood Services tests donations, he said. Blood Services does two tests on every batch: a test for antibodies and a “nucleic acid test”. The concern is what’s known as the “window period” — the time between when someone contracts HIV and the time at which it can be detected.

For an antibody test, he said that the window is about 42-50 days. For the nucleic acid test, results can be detected in approximately nine days, according to Canadian Blood Services. That’s much less than a year.

“I would say the window period should match the science,” he said. “I think Canadian Blood Services is just being super extra-cautious in putting it out to a year, but there’s really no good data to say it needs to be one year.”

So, to be cautious, he thinks the window period should be closer to two months.

And both he and Dr. Mark Wainberg, a professor of medicine and director of the McGill University AIDS Centre, believe that Canadian Blood Services should include some questions about donor behaviour in its screening of gay men.

“If you’re a man in a long-term, stable relationship and you and your partner are both negative, then the risks are exactly the same as those of a heterosexual couple,” said Wainberg, who is also a former president of the International AIDS Society.

“Why is it ok for a heterosexual college student who’s 19 years old who’s had sex with 40 women during his hormonal years, why is he able to give blood and a gay man who’s in a long-term stable relationship is not? It’s just stigmatizing, it’s demeaning, and it doesn’t make any scientific sense.”

“All gay men are not at risk for HIV,” said MacPherson. “A good proportion of gay men, like heterosexuals, are in monogamous relationships. So yes they may have had sex yesterday, but if they’re in a closed partnership, you can’t introduce HIV unless they’re having sex with multiple partners. So is it gay men, or should it be people who are sexually active?”

Incremental steps

Canadian Blood Services’ policy regarding men who have sex with men dates from the 1980s, when HIV screening was nowhere near as good as it is now.

Originally, it was a complete ban on donations from any man who had had sex with a man anytime from 1977 onwards.

Then, in 2013, it was reduced to banning any man who had had sex with a man in the last five years.

This was seen as an “incremental step” toward opening up the policy, said Dr. Mindy Goldman, medical director of donor and clinical services for Canadian Blood Services.

“It was a safe change. We did not see any decrease in safety, any increase in the number of donors found to be HIV-positive for example after going to the five-year deferral period.”

Soon, it will be a one-year deferral — something that she agrees is “greatly in excess” of their testing window periods. But testing isn’t everything, she said.

“How it’s supposed to work is we complete all testing before products are put into inventory, so that blood products of people who test HIV-positive or for hepatitis or whatever are destroyed and are not used,” she said.

“But you could have situations where your test doesn’t work properly or you have an error and products are put into inventory or you’re in an emergency situation where you cannot do the test before shipping product, etc. For those types of situations obviously you would prefer not to have a lot of HIV-positive units in that.”

WATCH: Liberals could reverse ban on blood donations from gay men (Oct. 2016)

Canadian Blood Services will monitor the effects of the new one-year limitation on blood donations, looking for whether more HIV-positive samples are detected, and surveying donors to see whether they truthfully answered all the questions on their screening form, she said.

And, the agency will consult with interest groups like patient groups, the medical community and LGBTQ groups to come up with an updated donation policy — a process that could take years. It took three years to reduce the waiting period from five years to one, and further changes will require research, as there are fewer examples from other countries to look to, she said.

All that means that it’s unlikely the restrictions on donations from gay men will be lifted during this current federal government’s mandate — as the Liberals promised during the election campaign.

And although Wainberg believes that it’s a sensitive and delicate issue, he thinks that policy change has been held back by political interest groups to the point where it no longer makes sense.

“We now have these fantastic ultra-sensitive screening tests. We didn’t have those in 1983 and 1984 and now we do. So you have to really ask the question, is it still worth maintaining an official policy of discrimination against gay men in light of all this advance in technology? And when they say the science supports this, I think that’s nonsense. The science doesn’t support it.”

Related

That’s still much longer than warranted, said Dr. Paul MacPherson, an HIV researcher with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute’s chronic disease program and associate professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa.

READ MORE: Blood donation ban for gay men dropped to 1 year from 5

Although gay men are at higher risk of HIV infection — they represent slightly less than half of HIV cases in Canada, according to estimates by the Public Health Agency of Canada — he believes that the risk of HIV getting into the blood system if that timeline was reduced is very low.

That’s because of how Canadian Blood Services tests donations, he said. Blood Services does two tests on every batch: a test for antibodies and a “nucleic acid test”. The concern is what’s known as the “window period” — the time between when someone contracts HIV and the time at which it can be detected.

For an antibody test, he said that the window is about 42-50 days. For the nucleic acid test, results can be detected in approximately nine days, according to Canadian Blood Services. That’s much less than a year.

“I would say the window period should match the science,” he said. “I think Canadian Blood Services is just being super extra-cautious in putting it out to a year, but there’s really no good data to say it needs to be one year.”

So, to be cautious, he thinks the window period should be closer to two months.

And both he and Dr. Mark Wainberg, a professor of medicine and director of the McGill University AIDS Centre, believe that Canadian Blood Services should include some questions about donor behaviour in its screening of gay men.

“If you’re a man in a long-term, stable relationship and you and your partner are both negative, then the risks are exactly the same as those of a heterosexual couple,” said Wainberg, who is also a former president of the International AIDS Society.

“Why is it ok for a heterosexual college student who’s 19 years old who’s had sex with 40 women during his hormonal years, why is he able to give blood and a gay man who’s in a long-term stable relationship is not? It’s just stigmatizing, it’s demeaning, and it doesn’t make any scientific sense.”

“All gay men are not at risk for HIV,” said MacPherson. “A good proportion of gay men, like heterosexuals, are in monogamous relationships. So yes they may have had sex yesterday, but if they’re in a closed partnership, you can’t introduce HIV unless they’re having sex with multiple partners. So is it gay men, or should it be people who are sexually active?”

Incremental steps

Canadian Blood Services’ policy regarding men who have sex with men dates from the 1980s, when HIV screening was nowhere near as good as it is now.

Originally, it was a complete ban on donations from any man who had had sex with a man anytime from 1977 onwards.

Then, in 2013, it was reduced to banning any man who had had sex with a man in the last five years.

This was seen as an “incremental step” toward opening up the policy, said Dr. Mindy Goldman, medical director of donor and clinical services for Canadian Blood Services.

“It was a safe change. We did not see any decrease in safety, any increase in the number of donors found to be HIV-positive for example after going to the five-year deferral period.”

Soon, it will be a one-year deferral — something that she agrees is “greatly in excess” of their testing window periods. But testing isn’t everything, she said.

“How it’s supposed to work is we complete all testing before products are put into inventory, so that blood products of people who test HIV-positive or for hepatitis or whatever are destroyed and are not used,” she said.

“But you could have situations where your test doesn’t work properly or you have an error and products are put into inventory or you’re in an emergency situation where you cannot do the test before shipping product, etc. For those types of situations obviously you would prefer not to have a lot of HIV-positive units in that.”

WATCH: Liberals could reverse ban on blood donations from gay men (Oct. 2016)

Canadian Blood Services will monitor the effects of the new one-year limitation on blood donations, looking for whether more HIV-positive samples are detected, and surveying donors to see whether they truthfully answered all the questions on their screening form, she said.

And, the agency will consult with interest groups like patient groups, the medical community and LGBTQ groups to come up with an updated donation policy — a process that could take years. It took three years to reduce the waiting period from five years to one, and further changes will require research, as there are fewer examples from other countries to look to, she said.

All that means that it’s unlikely the restrictions on donations from gay men will be lifted during this current federal government’s mandate — as the Liberals promised during the election campaign.

And although Wainberg believes that it’s a sensitive and delicate issue, he thinks that policy change has been held back by political interest groups to the point where it no longer makes sense.

“We now have these fantastic ultra-sensitive screening tests. We didn’t have those in 1983 and 1984 and now we do. So you have to really ask the question, is it still worth maintaining an official policy of discrimination against gay men in light of all this advance in technology? And when they say the science supports this, I think that’s nonsense. The science doesn’t support it.”

]]>

Backstreet Boys hint they’re heading into country-music territoryhttp://www.jeanjacke.info/backstreet-boys-hint-theyre-heading-into-country-music-territory/
Thu, 24 Jan 2019 12:55:05 +0000http://www.jeanjacke.info/backstreet-boys-hint-theyre-heading-into-country-music-territory/Backstreet may be back, but they may have a whole new sound this time around.

The Orlando, Fla., band formed 23 years ago, so it’s not ill-advised for the Backstreet Boys to try different forms of music.

As teased by band members Nick Carter and Brian Littrell, the Backstreet Boys are experimenting with country music, apparently with country pair Florida Georgia Line.

Carter posted to his Instagram account from what appears to be a recording studio.

View this post on Instagram

In the studio with my @backstreetboys recording a song for @flagaline new album. Also working on the new backstreet album as well. Get ready!!! #backstreetboys #countrymusic #floridageorgialine #new music #collaboration

As teased by band members Nick Carter and Brian Littrell, the Backstreet Boys are experimenting with country music, apparently with country pair Florida Georgia Line.

Carter posted to his Instagram account from what appears to be a recording studio.

View this post on Instagram

In the studio with my @backstreetboys recording a song for @flagaline new album. Also working on the new backstreet album as well. Get ready!!! #backstreetboys #countrymusic #floridageorgialine #new music #collaboration

Florida Georgia Line has collaborated with many artists in the past, including Luke Bryan and rap artist Nelly.

READ MORE: Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter arrested at Florida bar

Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley recently told the crowd at a South Dakota show that “Backstreet Boys was my first concert.”

The Backstreet Boys are also working on a new album, due shortly, and are planning a residency in Las Vegas.

Follow @CJancelewicz
Backstreet Boys – Studio Albums | PrettyFamous

]]>Brexit: 4 scenarios eyed to keep Britain in the EU despite the vote to leavehttp://www.jeanjacke.info/brexit-4-scenarios-eyed-to-keep-britain-in-the-eu-despite-the-vote-to-leave/
Thu, 24 Jan 2019 12:55:04 +0000http://www.jeanjacke.info/brexit-4-scenarios-eyed-to-keep-britain-in-the-eu-despite-the-vote-to-leave/LONDON – As continental powers pressure a nervous Britain to formally apply to exit the European Union, die-hard “remain” supporters are taking on the mission to put the brakes on the so-called Brexit.

Related

Brexit fallout: English language could be dropped from European Union

Brexit fallout: How low can the British pound go?

The challenge is formidable: Britons turned out en masse for last Thursday’s vote to leave the EU, deciding the matter in a close but credible election long promised by the ruling government. Britain’s Conservative Party and opposition Labour Party have both pledged to respect the popular vote and work quickly toward easing the U.K. out of the EU.

Britain’s jilted partners have also shown little inclination to revisit the matter.

“I don’t think we should see any shadow boxing or any cat-and-mouse games,” European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Tuesday. “It is clear what the British people want and we should act accordingly.”

READ MORE: English language could be dropped from European Union

But between the vagaries of Britain’s unwritten constitution and the determination of the losing side to stay in the EU, some lawyers, lawmakers and “remain” activists see room for hope.

“The beauty about this situation is that nothing seems to be impossible. So I wouldn’t rule anything out at this point, including the United Kingdom staying in the EU. I think it would be a very difficult thing to pull off, and I think a lot of things would have to happen first, but at this moment don’t discount anything,” says Anand Menon, professor of European politics and foreign affairs.

WATCH: Protesters gathered at a pro-EU rally outside the UK Houses of Parliament on Tuesday following last week’s historic referendum result.

Here are some of the suggestions from the pro-EU camp on how Britain could end up staying in the bloc, and an evaluation of each one by Gavin Barrett, an expert on European constitutional law at University College Dublin:

Ignoring the referendum

Parliament has no explicit legal obligation to implement the referendum’s decision. Conceivably, elected representatives in Westminster could just ignore the electorate’s verdict and opt to stay in the EU.

That’s the argument put forward by Labour lawmaker David Lammy, who implored colleagues on 桑拿会所: “Wake up. We do not have to do this. We can stop this madness and bring this nightmare to an end through a vote in Parliament. Our sovereign Parliament needs to now vote on whether we should exit the EU.”

Lawmakers could slow the invocation of Article 50, the exit clause enshrined in the EU’s governing Treaty of Lisbon, perhaps playing for time.

But Barrett says the idea that lawmakers could shrug off the popular vote altogether is fanciful.

“On a likelihood scale, I’d say zero per cent,” he says. “Governments cannot simply ignore the directly expressed will of the people.”

Invoking a Scottish veto

Britain’s Parliament cannot normally legislate on Scottish matters without the assent of Scotland’s staunchly pro-EU parliament in Edinburgh. Given that a withdrawal from the 28-nation bloc would likely mean quashing the application of EU laws in Scotland, some argue that gives Edinburgh a veto over the final decision. By the same token, some say that Northern Ireland’s legislature could also stand between Britain and Brexit.

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s separatist-minded first minister, appears to have endorsed that view.

“The option of saying we’re not going to vote for something that’s against Scotland’s interests, that’s got to be on the table,” she said in a recent television interview.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon is the only credible leader left in British politics after Brexit vote

So what are the chances that the Scots will ride to the rescue of England’s pro-EU minority?

“Zero per cent as well,” says Barrett. “Under the British constitutional system, Westminster is sovereign at the end of the day.”

Holding another election

British politics have been thrown into turmoil. Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to resign and his rivals are jockeying for position. The opposition Labour Party is in meltdown amid a bitter fight over the party’s leadership.

Could a pro-EU party, or a pro-EU wing of the Tories or Labour, emerge from the chaos and fight an election on a platform of bringing Britain back into the European fold?

READ MORE: How low can the British pound go?

A major challenge to that scenario is that elections aren’t scheduled until 2020 and that between now and then the Conservatives’ euroskeptic wing is likely to remain in power.

“Political circumstances have combined to make it quite unlikely that a pro-European government will be elected,” says Barrett. “Very, very unlikely.”

Holding a second referendum

Calls for a second referendum actually predate the first one, and a well-publicized web petition calling for a new vote has already attracted nearly 4 million names (although how many are linked to genuine British voters is anyone’s guess.)

But what if, instead of a do-over, the referendum were presented as a choice between the EU membership Britain has had until now and whatever new deal governing trade relations it could secure in its exit negotiations with the bloc.

Conservative lawmaker Jeremy Hunt — a contender to replace Cameron — has floated the idea of a second vote on any new deal. In an opinion piece in the Daily Telegraph newspaper, he wrote that “we need to negotiate a deal and put it to the British people, either in a referendum or through the Conservative manifesto at a fresh general election.”

Barrett predicted that any exit deal negotiated by Britain would be “bound to be inferior” to what the U.K. had before — and that EU powers would put aside their pride to welcome a wayward Britain back into the bloc if voters then endorsed a decision to stay. Of all the possibilities, he said, “I’d put my bet on that.”

LONDON – As continental powers pressure a nervous Britain to formally apply to exit the European Union, die-hard “remain” supporters are taking on the mission to put the brakes on the so-called Brexit.

The challenge is formidable: Britons turned out en masse for last Thursday’s vote to leave the EU, deciding the matter in a close but credible election long promised by the ruling government. Britain’s Conservative Party and opposition Labour Party have both pledged to respect the popular vote and work quickly toward easing the U.K. out of the EU.

Britain’s jilted partners have also shown little inclination to revisit the matter.

“I don’t think we should see any shadow boxing or any cat-and-mouse games,” European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Tuesday. “It is clear what the British people want and we should act accordingly.”

READ MORE: English language could be dropped from European Union

But between the vagaries of Britain’s unwritten constitution and the determination of the losing side to stay in the EU, some lawyers, lawmakers and “remain” activists see room for hope.

“The beauty about this situation is that nothing seems to be impossible. So I wouldn’t rule anything out at this point, including the United Kingdom staying in the EU. I think it would be a very difficult thing to pull off, and I think a lot of things would have to happen first, but at this moment don’t discount anything,” says Anand Menon, professor of European politics and foreign affairs.

WATCH: Protesters gathered at a pro-EU rally outside the UK Houses of Parliament on Tuesday following last week’s historic referendum result.

Here are some of the suggestions from the pro-EU camp on how Britain could end up staying in the bloc, and an evaluation of each one by Gavin Barrett, an expert on European constitutional law at University College Dublin:

Ignoring the referendum

Parliament has no explicit legal obligation to implement the referendum’s decision. Conceivably, elected representatives in Westminster could just ignore the electorate’s verdict and opt to stay in the EU.

That’s the argument put forward by Labour lawmaker David Lammy, who implored colleagues on 桑拿会所: “Wake up. We do not have to do this. We can stop this madness and bring this nightmare to an end through a vote in Parliament. Our sovereign Parliament needs to now vote on whether we should exit the EU.”

Lawmakers could slow the invocation of Article 50, the exit clause enshrined in the EU’s governing Treaty of Lisbon, perhaps playing for time.

But Barrett says the idea that lawmakers could shrug off the popular vote altogether is fanciful.

“On a likelihood scale, I’d say zero per cent,” he says. “Governments cannot simply ignore the directly expressed will of the people.”

Invoking a Scottish veto

Britain’s Parliament cannot normally legislate on Scottish matters without the assent of Scotland’s staunchly pro-EU parliament in Edinburgh. Given that a withdrawal from the 28-nation bloc would likely mean quashing the application of EU laws in Scotland, some argue that gives Edinburgh a veto over the final decision. By the same token, some say that Northern Ireland’s legislature could also stand between Britain and Brexit.

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s separatist-minded first minister, appears to have endorsed that view.

“The option of saying we’re not going to vote for something that’s against Scotland’s interests, that’s got to be on the table,” she said in a recent television interview.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon is the only credible leader left in British politics after Brexit vote

So what are the chances that the Scots will ride to the rescue of England’s pro-EU minority?

“Zero per cent as well,” says Barrett. “Under the British constitutional system, Westminster is sovereign at the end of the day.”

Holding another election

British politics have been thrown into turmoil. Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to resign and his rivals are jockeying for position. The opposition Labour Party is in meltdown amid a bitter fight over the party’s leadership.

Could a pro-EU party, or a pro-EU wing of the Tories or Labour, emerge from the chaos and fight an election on a platform of bringing Britain back into the European fold?

READ MORE: How low can the British pound go?

A major challenge to that scenario is that elections aren’t scheduled until 2020 and that between now and then the Conservatives’ euroskeptic wing is likely to remain in power.

“Political circumstances have combined to make it quite unlikely that a pro-European government will be elected,” says Barrett. “Very, very unlikely.”

Holding a second referendum

Calls for a second referendum actually predate the first one, and a well-publicized web petition calling for a new vote has already attracted nearly 4 million names (although how many are linked to genuine British voters is anyone’s guess.)

But what if, instead of a do-over, the referendum were presented as a choice between the EU membership Britain has had until now and whatever new deal governing trade relations it could secure in its exit negotiations with the bloc.

Conservative lawmaker Jeremy Hunt — a contender to replace Cameron — has floated the idea of a second vote on any new deal. In an opinion piece in the Daily Telegraph newspaper, he wrote that “we need to negotiate a deal and put it to the British people, either in a referendum or through the Conservative manifesto at a fresh general election.”

Barrett predicted that any exit deal negotiated by Britain would be “bound to be inferior” to what the U.K. had before — and that EU powers would put aside their pride to welcome a wayward Britain back into the bloc if voters then endorsed a decision to stay. Of all the possibilities, he said, “I’d put my bet on that.”

]]>

‘Star Trek’ actor George Takei to take part in Jasper Dark Sky Festivalhttp://www.jeanjacke.info/star-trek-actor-george-takei-to-take-part-in-jasper-dark-sky-festival/
Thu, 24 Jan 2019 12:55:02 +0000http://www.jeanjacke.info/star-trek-actor-george-takei-to-take-part-in-jasper-dark-sky-festival/A festival west of Edmonton will boldly go where no festival has gone before this fall when it welcomes Star Trek legend George Takei.

Best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek, Takei will speak at the Jasper Dark Sky Festival in October.

More recently, Takei has become well known for his increasing popularity on social media, where he’s become an advocate for several issues including LGBTQ rights and marriage equality.

Related

George Takei play ‘Allegiance’ lands a spot on Broadway

George Takei continues to slam former ‘Star Trek’ co-star William Shatner

‘Star Trek’ actor George Takei praises Trudeau for pot admission

Leonard Nimoy’s son to attend Vul-Con in Vulcan, Alta.

WATCH: George Takei on musical theatre, marriage and Howard Stern

Now in its sixth year, the Jasper Dark Sky Festival celebrates the wonder of one of the world’s largest dark sky preserves, an area kept free of artificial light pollution. Jasper received dark sky preserve designation in 2011.

As daylight hours begin to recede, October is the ideal time to celebrate the skies, according to the festival. Over the past few years, the festival has grown into a celebration over the course of two weekends during dark sky month, including speakers and activities that promote science, space and conservation.

READ MORE: Where you can go to see the stars this summer

Other notable speakers at this year’s festival include scientist Bill Nye, best known for his educational television program Bill Nye the Science Guy, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Nye will present two shows – one on Friday, Oct. 14 and another on Saturday, Oct. 15. Hanson will speak on Saturday, Oct. 15 at Centennial Field.

READ MORE: William Shatner explores relationship with ‘Star Trek’ co-star Leonard Nimoy in new book

Takei will speak at the Jasper Dark Sky Festival on Friday, Oct. 21.

Tickets for the festival go on sale on Monday, July 4. For more information visit the Jasper Dark Sky Festival’s website.

Now in its sixth year, the Jasper Dark Sky Festival celebrates the wonder of one of the world’s largest dark sky preserves, an area kept free of artificial light pollution. Jasper received dark sky preserve designation in 2011.

As daylight hours begin to recede, October is the ideal time to celebrate the skies, according to the festival. Over the past few years, the festival has grown into a celebration over the course of two weekends during dark sky month, including speakers and activities that promote science, space and conservation.

READ MORE: Where you can go to see the stars this summer

Other notable speakers at this year’s festival include scientist Bill Nye, best known for his educational television program Bill Nye the Science Guy, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Nye will present two shows – one on Friday, Oct. 14 and another on Saturday, Oct. 15. Hanson will speak on Saturday, Oct. 15 at Centennial Field.

READ MORE: William Shatner explores relationship with ‘Star Trek’ co-star Leonard Nimoy in new book

Takei will speak at the Jasper Dark Sky Festival on Friday, Oct. 21.

Tickets for the festival go on sale on Monday, July 4. For more information visit the Jasper Dark Sky Festival’s website.

Follow @CaleyRamsay

]]>

Saskatoon weather outlook – June 28http://www.jeanjacke.info/saskatoon-weather-outlook-june-28/
Mon, 24 Dec 2018 04:44:03 +0000http://www.jeanjacke.info/saskatoon-weather-outlook-june-28/Thunderstorm threat continues, but does it last into the long weekend?

Saskatoon weather outlook is your one stop shop for all things weather for Saskatoon, central and northern Saskatchewan with a comprehensive, detailed look at your local forecast that you can only find here.

…Read More →]]>Thunderstorm threat continues, but does it last into the long weekend?

Saskatoon weather outlook is your one stop shop for all things weather for Saskatoon, central and northern Saskatchewan with a comprehensive, detailed look at your local forecast that you can only find here.

]]>City asks people affected by DWA in Saskatoon to reach out to friends, family for waterhttp://www.jeanjacke.info/city-asks-people-affected-by-dwa-in-saskatoon-to-reach-out-to-friends-family-for-water/
Mon, 24 Dec 2018 04:44:02 +0000http://www.jeanjacke.info/city-asks-people-affected-by-dwa-in-saskatoon-to-reach-out-to-friends-family-for-water/As thousands of people in six Saskatoon neighbourhoods deal with a drinking water advisory (DWA), city officials are asking them to reach out to family and friends in unaffected areas for potable water.

“We know most people will look after getting their own water and we’re hoping to make that a bit easier for residents,” said assistant fire chief Anthony Tataryn.

“Of course family, friends and employers in unaffected areas are encouraged to help where they can by allowing those people to fill jugs of potable water from their unaffected taps.”

Related

Longer waits expected for drivers at Saskatoon railway crossings

Free Shaw WiFi available at City of Saskatoon facilities

Saskatoon city council votes to rename Circle Drive South Bridge after Gordie Howe

READ MORE: Thousands in Saskatoon under drinking water advisory

On Monday morning, a private contractor damaged a primary water line near McOrmond Drive, depressurizing the water distribution system.

As thousands of people in six Saskatoon neighbourhoods deal with a drinking water advisory (DWA), city officials are asking them to reach out to family and friends in unaffected areas for potable water.

“We know most people will look after getting their own water and we’re hoping to make that a bit easier for residents,” said assistant fire chief Anthony Tataryn.

“Of course family, friends and employers in unaffected areas are encouraged to help where they can by allowing those people to fill jugs of potable water from their unaffected taps.”

Related

Longer waits expected for drivers at Saskatoon railway crossings

Free Shaw WiFi available at City of Saskatoon facilities

Saskatoon city council votes to rename Circle Drive South Bridge after Gordie Howe

READ MORE: Thousands in Saskatoon under drinking water advisory

On Monday morning, a private contractor damaged a primary water line near McOrmond Drive, depressurizing the water distribution system.

However, they are asking those who are able to get water from elsewhere to do so.

“If you are able to get a water supply from an unaffected area, please go that route,” Tataryn said.

“We want to keep the Fire Stations open for the folks who may not have that as an option.”

The DWA is expected to remain in place until at least Thursday.

Officials say due to the size and scope of the DWO, NotifyNow will be used on a daily basis to provide updates until the DWA is lifted.

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Istanbul airport attack: Suspected ISIS bombers kill dozenshttp://www.jeanjacke.info/istanbul-airport-attack-suspected-isis-bombers-kill-dozens/
Mon, 24 Dec 2018 04:44:01 +0000http://www.jeanjacke.info/istanbul-airport-attack-suspected-isis-bombers-kill-dozens/ISTANBUL – Suicide attackers killed dozens and wounded more than 140 at Istanbul’s busy Ataturk Airport, the latest in a series of bombings to strike Turkey in recent months. Turkish officials said the massacre was most likely the work of the Islamic State group.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said 36 people died Tuesday as well as the three suicide bombers. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said 147 were wounded.

Yildirim said in a press statement early Wednesday that air traffic had returned to normal and “our airport has been opened to flights and departures from 02:20 (local time) on.”

There were conflicting accounts of the attack.

A Turkish official said authorities are going through CCTV footage and witness statements to establish a preliminary timeline and details of the attack. “It is a jigsaw puzzle” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government protocol.

The Haber Turk newspaper reported that one attacker blew himself up outside the terminal, then two others opened fire at the point where the X-ray machines are. One attacker was shot at while running amid fleeing passengers, then blew himself up at the exit. The third attacker went up one level to where the international departures terminal is, was shot by police and blew himself up.

Airport surveillance video posted on social media showed the moment of one blast, a huge ball of fire, and passengers fleeing in terror. Another appeared to show an attacker, felled by a gunshot from a security officer, blowing himself up seconds later.

The recent attacks on a key partner in the U.S.-led coalition against IS and a NATO member have increased in scale and frequency. They have scared away tourists and hurt the Turkish economy, which relies heavily on tourism.

As dawn broke over the destroyed terminal, workers began removing debris left by the blast. The airport partially reopened, but an information board inside showed that about one-third of scheduled flights had been cancelled, with a host of others delayed.

Earlier, the hundreds of passengers who fled the airport in fear were left sitting on the grass outside. Several ambulances drove back and forth, and security vehicles surrounded the scene.

Adam Keally, from Boston, said he heard gunfire followed, by several explosions, then saw people “very badly injured.”

Hevin Zini, 12, had just arrived from Duesseldorf, Germany, with her family and was in tears.

Most Deadly Terrorist Groups in Turkey since 2000 | FindTheData

“There was blood on the ground,” she told AP. “Everything was blown up to bits… if we had arrived two minutes earlier, it could have been us.”

Yildirim, speaking to reporters at the airport, said all initial indications suggested the Islamic State group was behind the attacks.

“The findingsof our security forces point atthe Daesh organization as the perpetrators of this terror attack,” Yildirim said, using the Arabic name for IS. “Even though the indications suggest Daesh, ourinvestigations are continuing.”

Turkey shares long, porous borders with Syria and Iraq, war-torn countries where IS controls large pockets of territory. Authorities have blamed IS for several major bombings over the past year, including on the capital Ankara, as well as attacks on tourists in Istanbul.

WATCH: Travellers at Istanbul airport take cover from explosions, gunfire

Turkey has stepped up controls at airports and land borders and deported thousands of foreign fighters, but has struggled to tackle the threat of IS militants while also conducting vast security operations against Kurdish rebels, who have also been blamed for recent deadly attacks.

The devastation at Istanbul’s airport follows the March attack on Brussels Airport, where two suicide bombings ripped through check-in counters, killing 16 people. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that attack, as well as a subsequent explosion at a Brussels subway station that killed 16 more people.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said on 桑拿会所: “Our thoughts are with the victims of the attacks at Istanbul’s airport. We condemn these atrocious acts of violence.”

READ MORE: Canada condemns Istanbul airport attack that killed 36

Yildirim said air traffic at Ataturk Airport, which was suspended after the attack and stranded hundreds of passengers, had resumed early Wednesday. A stoppage of flights to and from the United States and Istanbul lasted several hours but was later lifted, said a U.S. official who spoke on background to discuss sensitive security issues.

Yildirim said the attackers arrived at the airport in a taxi and blew themselves up after opening fire. Asked whether a fourth attacker might have escaped, he said authorities have no such assessment but are considering every possibility.

Another Turkish official said two of the attackers detonated explosives at the entrance of the international arrivals terminal after police fired at them, while the third blew himself up in the parking lot.

The official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations, cited interior ministry information and said that none of the attackers managed to get past security checks at the terminal’s entrance.

Fatalities and Injuries from Terrorist Attacks in Turkey | FindTheData

Turkish airports have security checks at both the entrance of terminal buildings and then later before entry to departure gates.

South African Judy Favish, who spent two days in Istanbul as a layover on her way home from Dublin, had just checked in when she heard an explosion followed by gunfire and a loud bang.

She says she hid under the counter for some time.

Favish says passengers were ushered to a cafeteria at the basement level where they were kept for more than an hour before being allowed outside.

Two South African tourists, Paul and Susie Roos from Cape Town, were at the airport and due to fly home at the time of the explosions.

“We came up from the arrivals to the departures, up the escalator when we heard these shots going off,” Paul Roos said. “There was this guy going roaming around, he was dressed in black and he had a hand gun.”

The prime minister called for national unity and “global co-operation” in combatting terrorism.

“This (attack) has shown once again that terrorism is a global threat,” Yildirim said. “This is a heinous planned attack that targeted innocent people.”

He suggested that the attack was linked to what he said was Turkey’s success against Kurdish rebels, as well as steps Ankara took Monday toward mending strained ties with Israel and Russia.

“It is meaningful that this heinous attack came at a time when we have become successful in the fight against separatist terrorism … and at a time when we started a process ofnormalizing ties with our neighbours,” Yildirim said.

Yildirim said there was no security lapse at the airport, but added the fact the attackers were carrying weapons “increased the severity” of the attack.

Saudi Arabia’s Embassy in Turkey said at least seven Saudis were injured in the attack and all are in stable condition.

Dozens of anxious friends and relatives waited early Wednesday outside Istanbul’s Bakirkoy Hospital, where victims were taken for treatment.

“You can hear that people are wailing here,” said Serdar Tatlisu, a relative of a victim. “We cannot cope anymore, we can’t just stay still. We need some kind of solution for whatever problem there is.

Turkey is beset by a wide array of security threats, 26, including from ultra-left radicals, Kurdish rebels demanding greater autonomy in the restive southeast, and IS militants.

WATCH: Adam Keally from Boston, MA describes what he saw and some of the injuries sustained as suicide bombers attacked the Atuturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey.

On Jan. 12, an attack that Turkish authorities blamed on IS claimed the lives of a dozen German tourists visiting Istanbul’s historic sites. On March 19, a suicide bombing rocked Istanbul’s main pedestrian street, killing five people, including the bomber, whom the authorities identified as a Turkish national linked to IS.

Last October, twin suicide bombings hit a peace rally outside Ankara’s train station, killing 102 people. There was no claim of responsibility but Turkish authorities blamed the attack on a local cell of IS.

Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport was the 11th busiest airport in the world last year, with 61.8 million passengers, according to Airports Council International. It is also one of the fastest-growing airports in the world, seeing 9.2 per cent more passengers last year than in 2014.

The largest carrier at the airport is Turkish Airlines, which operates a major hub there. Low-cost Turkish carrier Onur Air is the second-largest airline there.

The independent Dogan news agency reported that a plane carrying Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama was arriving on an official visit at the airport when the attack occurred. The prime minister and his entourage were safely taken to an official residence.

Fraser reported from Ankara, and Soguel from Sanliurfa, Turkey. Associated Press writers Bram Janssen in Istanbul, Will Lester in Washington, D.C. and Scott Mayerowitz in New York contributed to this report.

…Read More →]]>ISTANBUL – Suicide attackers killed dozens and wounded more than 140 at Istanbul’s busy Ataturk Airport, the latest in a series of bombings to strike Turkey in recent months. Turkish officials said the massacre was most likely the work of the Islamic State group.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said 36 people died Tuesday as well as the three suicide bombers. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said 147 were wounded.

Yildirim said in a press statement early Wednesday that air traffic had returned to normal and “our airport has been opened to flights and departures from 02:20 (local time) on.”

There were conflicting accounts of the attack.

A Turkish official said authorities are going through CCTV footage and witness statements to establish a preliminary timeline and details of the attack. “It is a jigsaw puzzle” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government protocol.

The Haber Turk newspaper reported that one attacker blew himself up outside the terminal, then two others opened fire at the point where the X-ray machines are. One attacker was shot at while running amid fleeing passengers, then blew himself up at the exit. The third attacker went up one level to where the international departures terminal is, was shot by police and blew himself up.

Airport surveillance video posted on social media showed the moment of one blast, a huge ball of fire, and passengers fleeing in terror. Another appeared to show an attacker, felled by a gunshot from a security officer, blowing himself up seconds later.

The recent attacks on a key partner in the U.S.-led coalition against IS and a NATO member have increased in scale and frequency. They have scared away tourists and hurt the Turkish economy, which relies heavily on tourism.

As dawn broke over the destroyed terminal, workers began removing debris left by the blast. The airport partially reopened, but an information board inside showed that about one-third of scheduled flights had been cancelled, with a host of others delayed.

Earlier, the hundreds of passengers who fled the airport in fear were left sitting on the grass outside. Several ambulances drove back and forth, and security vehicles surrounded the scene.

Adam Keally, from Boston, said he heard gunfire followed, by several explosions, then saw people “very badly injured.”

Hevin Zini, 12, had just arrived from Duesseldorf, Germany, with her family and was in tears.

Most Deadly Terrorist Groups in Turkey since 2000 | FindTheData

“There was blood on the ground,” she told AP. “Everything was blown up to bits… if we had arrived two minutes earlier, it could have been us.”

Yildirim, speaking to reporters at the airport, said all initial indications suggested the Islamic State group was behind the attacks.

“The findingsof our security forces point atthe Daesh organization as the perpetrators of this terror attack,” Yildirim said, using the Arabic name for IS. “Even though the indications suggest Daesh, ourinvestigations are continuing.”

Turkey shares long, porous borders with Syria and Iraq, war-torn countries where IS controls large pockets of territory. Authorities have blamed IS for several major bombings over the past year, including on the capital Ankara, as well as attacks on tourists in Istanbul.

WATCH: Travellers at Istanbul airport take cover from explosions, gunfire

Turkey has stepped up controls at airports and land borders and deported thousands of foreign fighters, but has struggled to tackle the threat of IS militants while also conducting vast security operations against Kurdish rebels, who have also been blamed for recent deadly attacks.

The devastation at Istanbul’s airport follows the March attack on Brussels Airport, where two suicide bombings ripped through check-in counters, killing 16 people. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that attack, as well as a subsequent explosion at a Brussels subway station that killed 16 more people.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said on 桑拿会所: “Our thoughts are with the victims of the attacks at Istanbul’s airport. We condemn these atrocious acts of violence.”

READ MORE: Canada condemns Istanbul airport attack that killed 36

Yildirim said air traffic at Ataturk Airport, which was suspended after the attack and stranded hundreds of passengers, had resumed early Wednesday. A stoppage of flights to and from the United States and Istanbul lasted several hours but was later lifted, said a U.S. official who spoke on background to discuss sensitive security issues.

Yildirim said the attackers arrived at the airport in a taxi and blew themselves up after opening fire. Asked whether a fourth attacker might have escaped, he said authorities have no such assessment but are considering every possibility.

Another Turkish official said two of the attackers detonated explosives at the entrance of the international arrivals terminal after police fired at them, while the third blew himself up in the parking lot.

The official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations, cited interior ministry information and said that none of the attackers managed to get past security checks at the terminal’s entrance.

Fatalities and Injuries from Terrorist Attacks in Turkey | FindTheData

Turkish airports have security checks at both the entrance of terminal buildings and then later before entry to departure gates.

South African Judy Favish, who spent two days in Istanbul as a layover on her way home from Dublin, had just checked in when she heard an explosion followed by gunfire and a loud bang.

She says she hid under the counter for some time.

Favish says passengers were ushered to a cafeteria at the basement level where they were kept for more than an hour before being allowed outside.

Two South African tourists, Paul and Susie Roos from Cape Town, were at the airport and due to fly home at the time of the explosions.

“We came up from the arrivals to the departures, up the escalator when we heard these shots going off,” Paul Roos said. “There was this guy going roaming around, he was dressed in black and he had a hand gun.”

The prime minister called for national unity and “global co-operation” in combatting terrorism.

“This (attack) has shown once again that terrorism is a global threat,” Yildirim said. “This is a heinous planned attack that targeted innocent people.”

He suggested that the attack was linked to what he said was Turkey’s success against Kurdish rebels, as well as steps Ankara took Monday toward mending strained ties with Israel and Russia.

“It is meaningful that this heinous attack came at a time when we have become successful in the fight against separatist terrorism … and at a time when we started a process ofnormalizing ties with our neighbours,” Yildirim said.

Yildirim said there was no security lapse at the airport, but added the fact the attackers were carrying weapons “increased the severity” of the attack.

Saudi Arabia’s Embassy in Turkey said at least seven Saudis were injured in the attack and all are in stable condition.

Dozens of anxious friends and relatives waited early Wednesday outside Istanbul’s Bakirkoy Hospital, where victims were taken for treatment.

“You can hear that people are wailing here,” said Serdar Tatlisu, a relative of a victim. “We cannot cope anymore, we can’t just stay still. We need some kind of solution for whatever problem there is.

Turkey is beset by a wide array of security threats, 26, including from ultra-left radicals, Kurdish rebels demanding greater autonomy in the restive southeast, and IS militants.

WATCH: Adam Keally from Boston, MA describes what he saw and some of the injuries sustained as suicide bombers attacked the Atuturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey.

On Jan. 12, an attack that Turkish authorities blamed on IS claimed the lives of a dozen German tourists visiting Istanbul’s historic sites. On March 19, a suicide bombing rocked Istanbul’s main pedestrian street, killing five people, including the bomber, whom the authorities identified as a Turkish national linked to IS.

Last October, twin suicide bombings hit a peace rally outside Ankara’s train station, killing 102 people. There was no claim of responsibility but Turkish authorities blamed the attack on a local cell of IS.

Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport was the 11th busiest airport in the world last year, with 61.8 million passengers, according to Airports Council International. It is also one of the fastest-growing airports in the world, seeing 9.2 per cent more passengers last year than in 2014.

The largest carrier at the airport is Turkish Airlines, which operates a major hub there. Low-cost Turkish carrier Onur Air is the second-largest airline there.

The independent Dogan news agency reported that a plane carrying Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama was arriving on an official visit at the airport when the attack occurred. The prime minister and his entourage were safely taken to an official residence.

Fraser reported from Ankara, and Soguel from Sanliurfa, Turkey. Associated Press writers Bram Janssen in Istanbul, Will Lester in Washington, D.C. and Scott Mayerowitz in New York contributed to this report.

]]>Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Tribal Council argue in court over child protectionhttp://www.jeanjacke.info/saskatchewan-saskatoon-tribal-council-argue-in-court-over-child-protection/
Mon, 24 Dec 2018 04:44:00 +0000http://www.jeanjacke.info/saskatchewan-saskatoon-tribal-council-argue-in-court-over-child-protection/The Saskatchewan government is seeking an injunction to take back responsibility for children under the care of the Saskatoon Tribal Council, but some say the move infringes on aboriginal sovereignty.

Government lawyer Michael Morris argued the province has to step in because the tribal council isn’t sharing even basic information, such as how many children are in care or their names.

“Right now that information’s not being provided,” Morris told Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Lian Schwann on Tuesday.

Related

85 per cent of Saskatchewan children in foster care are indigenous: Stats Can

Adoption act changes aim to meet altered needs of Sask. children

“Who are the caregivers to those children? What services are being provided to them? What are their needs? What, if any, case planning is there in relation to them? For every child that has been put into care … Saskatchewan requires that information.”

READ MORE: Social services taking over children’s care from Saskatoon Tribal Council

Morris said the Ministry of Social Services not only has the authority, but also the duty to protect children on and off reserve.

He said Saskatchewan needs access to documents “to ensure that children on the STC First Nations … are safe and receiving all proper support and services.”

First Nations agencies are required to monitor and track children in care on reserve and report back to the Ministry of Social Services. The province has delegation agreements with them.

But Saskatchewan Social Services Minister Donna Harpauer said earlier this month that years of trying to negotiate a new deal between the province and the Saskatoon Tribal Council have reached an impasse. She also said that federal funding expired in March, which meant the province could terminate its part of the agreement.

WATCH BELOW: Saskatchewan government moves to collect files from tribal council

Lawyer Josephine de Whytell, who argued on behalf of the tribal council, said funding from Ottawa expires each year with the federal budget and is renewed.

She said the council is following a bilateral accord on caring for children that was signed with the province in 1996. It’s not a matter of the province delegating power to the tribal council, she added.

“Those First Nations have not given up their authority to act as independent nations responsible for the protection and well-being of their children,” she said.

De Whytell said the tribal council is willing to provide the information for auditing and case transfer purposes, but not because it reports to the ministry as a subordinate agency.

She called the province’s claims “frivolous and vexatious.”

“The order that’s being sought is not necessary to protect the best interests of the children because those children are already being protected by their own First Nations who are accountable to their own membership.”

Outside the courthouse, children held signs that said “No More 60s Scoop” and “Honour the Bilateral Accord #OurKidsOurJurisdiction.”

READ MORE: Two-thirds of First Nations children in Saskatchewan live in poverty: advocate

Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Felix Thomas told reporters that the council will not abdicate control or be forced to sign a new agreement.

“If you’re a sovereign nation, you cannot be told,’You need to give us that report.’ If you’re a sovereign nation, you’re told with respect, ‘Please share a report so that we can do what’s best for the child,”‘ said Thomas.

“That’s all we’ve been asking for with the province is show us the respect and live up to the agreement that you signed.”

The Saskatchewan government is seeking an injunction to take back responsibility for children under the care of the Saskatoon Tribal Council, but some say the move infringes on aboriginal sovereignty.

Government lawyer Michael Morris argued the province has to step in because the tribal council isn’t sharing even basic information, such as how many children are in care or their names.

“Right now that information’s not being provided,” Morris told Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Lian Schwann on Tuesday.

Related

85 per cent of Saskatchewan children in foster care are indigenous: Stats Can

Adoption act changes aim to meet altered needs of Sask. children

“Who are the caregivers to those children? What services are being provided to them? What are their needs? What, if any, case planning is there in relation to them? For every child that has been put into care … Saskatchewan requires that information.”

READ MORE: Social services taking over children’s care from Saskatoon Tribal Council

Morris said the Ministry of Social Services not only has the authority, but also the duty to protect children on and off reserve.

He said Saskatchewan needs access to documents “to ensure that children on the STC First Nations … are safe and receiving all proper support and services.”

First Nations agencies are required to monitor and track children in care on reserve and report back to the Ministry of Social Services. The province has delegation agreements with them.

But Saskatchewan Social Services Minister Donna Harpauer said earlier this month that years of trying to negotiate a new deal between the province and the Saskatoon Tribal Council have reached an impasse. She also said that federal funding expired in March, which meant the province could terminate its part of the agreement.

WATCH BELOW: Saskatchewan government moves to collect files from tribal council

Lawyer Josephine de Whytell, who argued on behalf of the tribal council, said funding from Ottawa expires each year with the federal budget and is renewed.

She said the council is following a bilateral accord on caring for children that was signed with the province in 1996. It’s not a matter of the province delegating power to the tribal council, she added.

“Those First Nations have not given up their authority to act as independent nations responsible for the protection and well-being of their children,” she said.

De Whytell said the tribal council is willing to provide the information for auditing and case transfer purposes, but not because it reports to the ministry as a subordinate agency.

She called the province’s claims “frivolous and vexatious.”

“The order that’s being sought is not necessary to protect the best interests of the children because those children are already being protected by their own First Nations who are accountable to their own membership.”

Outside the courthouse, children held signs that said “No More 60s Scoop” and “Honour the Bilateral Accord #OurKidsOurJurisdiction.”

READ MORE: Two-thirds of First Nations children in Saskatchewan live in poverty: advocate

Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Felix Thomas told reporters that the council will not abdicate control or be forced to sign a new agreement.

“If you’re a sovereign nation, you cannot be told,’You need to give us that report.’ If you’re a sovereign nation, you’re told with respect, ‘Please share a report so that we can do what’s best for the child,”‘ said Thomas.

“That’s all we’ve been asking for with the province is show us the respect and live up to the agreement that you signed.”